A healthy mouth contains a balance of good and bad bacteria. However, environmental factors such as, nutrition, diet, hygiene, smoking, dehydration and even stress, can alter the ecological conditions of the mouth causing harmful bacteria to grow and accumulate.

Certain bacteria live in your mouth and feed on the sugars and starches that you eat, leading to tooth decay, while other bacteria cause gingivitis and if left untreated, periodontitis, a serious disease not to be taken lightly, causing significant dental pain and can eventually lead to tooth loss.

Studies show a clear link between oral disease and diseases such as cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes, premature birth and pneumonia.

What goes on in your mouth is an essential part of a healthy gut. You swallow one trillion bacteria every day which then lands up in your gastrointestinal microbiome, which is critical for GI health, metabolism, immune function and even brain function.

A mouth that is sick is seeding the entire GI tract with bad bugs and could also be introducing unhealthy bacteria into the bloodstream every day.

Maintaining a healthy environment in the mouth not only means brushing and flossing, but the most important thing is taking an oral probiotic supplement which keeps the bacteria in balance.